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Spenser #3
Mortal Stakes
Everybody loves a winner, and the Rabbs are major league. Marty is the Red Sox star pitcher, Linda the loving wife. She loves everyone except the blackmailer out to wreck her life.
Is Marty throwing fast balls or throwing games? It doesn't take long for Spenser to link Marty's performance with Linda's past...or to find himself trapped between a crazed racketeer and an enforcer toting an M-16.
America's favorite pastime has suddenly become a very dangerous sport, and one wrong move means strike three, with Spenser out for good!
From the Cassette edition.
Is Marty throwing fast balls or throwing games? It doesn't take long for Spenser to link Marty's performance with Linda's past...or to find himself trapped between a crazed racketeer and an enforcer toting an M-16.
America's favorite pastime has suddenly become a very dangerous sport, and one wrong move means strike three, with Spenser out for good!
From the Cassette edition.
Audio
First published January 1, 1975
1045 people are currently reading
1557 people want to read
About the author
Robert B. Parker
489 books2,294 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database named Robert B. Parker.
Robert Brown Parker was an American writer, primarily of fiction within the mystery/detective genre. His most famous works were the 40 novels written about the fictional private detective Spenser. ABC television network developed the television series Spenser: For Hire based on the character in the mid-1980s; a series of TV movies was also produced based on the character. His works incorporate encyclopedic knowledge of the Boston metropolitan area. The Spenser novels have been cited as reviving and changing the detective genre by critics and bestselling authors including Robert Crais, Harlan Coben, and Dennis Lehane.
Parker also wrote nine novels featuring the fictional character Jesse Stone, a Los Angeles police officer who moves to a small New England town; six novels with the fictional character Sunny Randall, a female private investigator; and four Westerns starring the duo Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch. The first was Appaloosa, made into a film starring Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen.
Robert Brown Parker was an American writer, primarily of fiction within the mystery/detective genre. His most famous works were the 40 novels written about the fictional private detective Spenser. ABC television network developed the television series Spenser: For Hire based on the character in the mid-1980s; a series of TV movies was also produced based on the character. His works incorporate encyclopedic knowledge of the Boston metropolitan area. The Spenser novels have been cited as reviving and changing the detective genre by critics and bestselling authors including Robert Crais, Harlan Coben, and Dennis Lehane.
Parker also wrote nine novels featuring the fictional character Jesse Stone, a Los Angeles police officer who moves to a small New England town; six novels with the fictional character Sunny Randall, a female private investigator; and four Westerns starring the duo Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch. The first was Appaloosa, made into a film starring Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 497 reviews
October 27, 2019
With this third entry in the Spenser series, Parker creates his first thoroughly superior mystery. What makes this a first class yarn is the presence of four individualized, essentially admirable women. Now, how many hard-boiled detective novels can claim that?
Don't get me wrong. This is not a girly sort of book. Its hero has well-defined abs, boxed enough professionally to get his nose broken, packs a pistol and can use a long gun when he has to, and has a serious problem with authority. Oh, and he's a real wiseass too.
In addition to having a manly hero, the book is all about sports: baseball to be precise, America's “national pastime” (at least that's how we thought of it in 1975). The Red Sox hire Spenser to snoop undercover to find out whether their star pitcher Marty Rabb is shaving points and throwing games. Disguised as a writer of non-fiction books, Spenser quizzes players and broadcasters, but soon his investigation leads him to bookies, hoods, pimps and madams. He discovers that good people are being blackmailed, and that in order to protect them he may be forced to violate his moral code.
That's one thing I love about Spenser: he cares about his moral code. And that's where the women come in. He has two lovers, the fun blonde secretary Brenda and the thoughtful brunette psychologist Susan. Which one will he resort to when his integrity is compromised? And then there are the other two women in the novel, Linda Rabb the star pitcher's wife and Patricia Utley the high-class madam. Both have their own moral choices, and the decisions they make—and their consequences—result in a few of the most vivid and moving scenes I have encountered in any detective novel.
This novel is so good even people who don't like mysteries should read it. And for you mystery fans who missed Mortal Stakes somehow: read it, you are in for a treat.
November 3, 2015
Floating this one to marvel in the glory and wonder of what a difference a few years can make to a sports franchise.
Spenser is hired by an executive of the Boston Red Sox to investigate a rumor that their star pitcher, Marty Rabb, has been throwing some games, and the executive makes it clear from the start that if Rabb is guilty he’ll be out of baseball permanently. So this was obviously written before Pete Rose established the idea that if you’re a really good player we should all just overlook those pesky gambling issues. But I’m a Royals fan so what do I know about baseball?
Posing as a writer, Spenser meets and likes both Rabb and his wife Linda, but when he starts checking out their history he finds a secret that made Rabb a blackmail target.
This turns into one of the trickier moral dilemmas Spenser will ever face. Since he was hired by the Red Sox officially he should just report Rabb for throwing games, but that will be the end of Rabb’s career. Despite being a huge baseball fan himself Spenser doesn't care about his obligation to his client or any notions of ‘protecting the integrity of the game’. As always, Spenser will ignore the institution and focus on saving actual people. But helping Rabb and his wife will put Spenser into conflict with a dangerous loan shark, and Spenser will have to take extreme measures that go against his usual rules.
Parker used Spenser’s ethical concerns here to flesh out his philosophy by forcing him to confront it’s shortcomings. It’s also interesting that although Spenser and Susan are dating at this point that they’re not exclusive. Spenser sees another woman for most of the book yet when confronted with a terrible event it’s Susan he goes to for comfort, and it’s at this point that she becomes the key woman in his life for the rest of the series.
There’s a great little time capsule element to the portrayal of professional sports that seems quaint compared to the way it is today. Written in 1975 long before ESPN was created, Spenser casually attends a Red Sox vs. Yankees game on a weekday afternoon, and he sits in a section almost by himself and strolls through a light crowd after the game.
Nowadays, a Red Sox and Yankees series is portrayed as apocalyptic in its importance and the idea that it wouldn’t be a featured night game during the week with a standing room only crowd at Fenway Park seems insane. Because everyone knows that the world stops when Boston and New York play. Or maybe it doesn’t. Again, I’m a Royals fan so what do i know?
Next up: We meet a man called Hawk in Promised Land.
Spenser is hired by an executive of the Boston Red Sox to investigate a rumor that their star pitcher, Marty Rabb, has been throwing some games, and the executive makes it clear from the start that if Rabb is guilty he’ll be out of baseball permanently. So this was obviously written before Pete Rose established the idea that if you’re a really good player we should all just overlook those pesky gambling issues. But I’m a Royals fan so what do I know about baseball?
Posing as a writer, Spenser meets and likes both Rabb and his wife Linda, but when he starts checking out their history he finds a secret that made Rabb a blackmail target.
This turns into one of the trickier moral dilemmas Spenser will ever face. Since he was hired by the Red Sox officially he should just report Rabb for throwing games, but that will be the end of Rabb’s career. Despite being a huge baseball fan himself Spenser doesn't care about his obligation to his client or any notions of ‘protecting the integrity of the game’. As always, Spenser will ignore the institution and focus on saving actual people. But helping Rabb and his wife will put Spenser into conflict with a dangerous loan shark, and Spenser will have to take extreme measures that go against his usual rules.
Parker used Spenser’s ethical concerns here to flesh out his philosophy by forcing him to confront it’s shortcomings. It’s also interesting that although Spenser and Susan are dating at this point that they’re not exclusive. Spenser sees another woman for most of the book yet when confronted with a terrible event it’s Susan he goes to for comfort, and it’s at this point that she becomes the key woman in his life for the rest of the series.
There’s a great little time capsule element to the portrayal of professional sports that seems quaint compared to the way it is today. Written in 1975 long before ESPN was created, Spenser casually attends a Red Sox vs. Yankees game on a weekday afternoon, and he sits in a section almost by himself and strolls through a light crowd after the game.
Nowadays, a Red Sox and Yankees series is portrayed as apocalyptic in its importance and the idea that it wouldn’t be a featured night game during the week with a standing room only crowd at Fenway Park seems insane. Because everyone knows that the world stops when Boston and New York play. Or maybe it doesn’t. Again, I’m a Royals fan so what do i know?
Next up: We meet a man called Hawk in Promised Land.
April 20, 2018
Parker was really starting to get into a rhythm with these Spenser stories. You can see the character coming to life. Everything feels more natural and at ease.
The triangle of deceit he created in Mortal Stakes is not diabolically ingenious, but it suits. Spenser is shown sorting out the clues he gathers and going through a methodical process to get to the bottom of it all. I thought perhaps Parker took a shortcut to the main baddies rather too quickly. It was almost like Spenser was drawn to them for no apparent reason other than getting the show on the road.
Extra points for this one due to the inclusion of the Boston Red Sox, my favorite team. Hell, the major reason I started reading these was because they take place in my home city (well, I lived 45 minutes outside of it, but it's still "my city" in a way.) Anytime a writer wants to use Fenway Pahk as a setting is wicked pissah with me!
The triangle of deceit he created in Mortal Stakes is not diabolically ingenious, but it suits. Spenser is shown sorting out the clues he gathers and going through a methodical process to get to the bottom of it all. I thought perhaps Parker took a shortcut to the main baddies rather too quickly. It was almost like Spenser was drawn to them for no apparent reason other than getting the show on the road.
Extra points for this one due to the inclusion of the Boston Red Sox, my favorite team. Hell, the major reason I started reading these was because they take place in my home city (well, I lived 45 minutes outside of it, but it's still "my city" in a way.) Anytime a writer wants to use Fenway Pahk as a setting is wicked pissah with me!
December 1, 2012
I was late to the Spenser party. I can't remember exactly what Spenser tale I read first, but it was somewhere around book 25 or so. Parker's style of writing: short, quick sentences, fast-paced, clothing and food descriptions galore, sprinkled with literary references was pretty much solidified by this time. MORTAL STAKES is a different Spenser. In this one, Parker takes his time describing environs, people, and the intricate mind of his Spenser character. This is thoroughly enjoyable. For me, the systematic, conveyor belt mode of storytelling in the later Spenser novels becomes quite cliche -- even if I do love the character.
So here I am, at this Spenser's party, and, if I may, loving every frickin' minute of it. The voice of Spenser is different. Martin Quirk is different. Frank Belson is different. And, yet, they are still the same characters I met in the later novels; the difference now being that I am truly meeting them at an early stage of their literary lives. How I wanted to tell Spenser during this time to stay clear of Susan Silverman, the woman that is going to cause him so much pain...and redemption. How I wanted to have Quirk and Belson know that they are not in for a picnic in some of the later novels. How I wanted to reassure Spenser that he will not be facing the world alone, that one day he was going to meet Hawk. But I couldn't. The music was just too good and I was drinking the kool-aid, ya know?
You see, what it comes down to is this: Spenser is one of my favorite literary characters; Parker is one of my favorite novelists, and to see them in their infancy was incredible. Parker can craft a plot; he shows it in MORTAL STAKES. A three-pronged dilemma that involves baseball, pornography, and murder. But unlike the later novels, Parker takes his time, allows for growth, shows a side of Spenser I'd never seen before. To see a novelist work like this was like seeing the secret to a favorite magic trick. I feel lucky for having come across this book.
Okay, so I sound like the ultimate ubergoober fanboy -- I am okay with that. If you only know Spenser through Parker's later novels, take the time to go back and discover Spenser's roots. It is well worth it.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
So here I am, at this Spenser's party, and, if I may, loving every frickin' minute of it. The voice of Spenser is different. Martin Quirk is different. Frank Belson is different. And, yet, they are still the same characters I met in the later novels; the difference now being that I am truly meeting them at an early stage of their literary lives. How I wanted to tell Spenser during this time to stay clear of Susan Silverman, the woman that is going to cause him so much pain...and redemption. How I wanted to have Quirk and Belson know that they are not in for a picnic in some of the later novels. How I wanted to reassure Spenser that he will not be facing the world alone, that one day he was going to meet Hawk. But I couldn't. The music was just too good and I was drinking the kool-aid, ya know?
You see, what it comes down to is this: Spenser is one of my favorite literary characters; Parker is one of my favorite novelists, and to see them in their infancy was incredible. Parker can craft a plot; he shows it in MORTAL STAKES. A three-pronged dilemma that involves baseball, pornography, and murder. But unlike the later novels, Parker takes his time, allows for growth, shows a side of Spenser I'd never seen before. To see a novelist work like this was like seeing the secret to a favorite magic trick. I feel lucky for having come across this book.
Okay, so I sound like the ultimate ubergoober fanboy -- I am okay with that. If you only know Spenser through Parker's later novels, take the time to go back and discover Spenser's roots. It is well worth it.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
September 6, 2010
A Red Sox bigwig hires Spenser to investigate a pitcher who he suspects has been intentionally blowing games. Spenser's investigations take him into a web of deceit and blackmail and the pitcher's wife is caught in the middle...
Spenser is really growing on me. I have to admit I wasn't completely sold in the first two books. In this one, I think Parker started hitting on all cylinders.
Mortal Stakes is a tale of a small town girl in Boston being punished for the sins of her past and her husband, Red Sox pitcher Marty Rabb, is being blackmailed by gamblers. Spenser noses around, busts some heads, and eventually gets them in the clear, but not without a price.
While there wasn't much in the way of action, the action there was was intense and meaningful, both to the plot and the character of Spenser. Aside from being played by Robert Urich, I think the thing that sets Spenser apart from other similar characters is his philosophy. While willing to do what has to be done, he's not all that happy with it.
Highly recommended. I'll be reading the fourth volume very very soon.
Spenser is really growing on me. I have to admit I wasn't completely sold in the first two books. In this one, I think Parker started hitting on all cylinders.
Mortal Stakes is a tale of a small town girl in Boston being punished for the sins of her past and her husband, Red Sox pitcher Marty Rabb, is being blackmailed by gamblers. Spenser noses around, busts some heads, and eventually gets them in the clear, but not without a price.
While there wasn't much in the way of action, the action there was was intense and meaningful, both to the plot and the character of Spenser. Aside from being played by Robert Urich, I think the thing that sets Spenser apart from other similar characters is his philosophy. While willing to do what has to be done, he's not all that happy with it.
Highly recommended. I'll be reading the fourth volume very very soon.
November 16, 2025
Very good story. But a bit of overkill on the detail (for me). Bogs down the flow.
July 7, 2023
Really liked this one. It was much better than the first 2. I think I am figuring out the allure of Robert B. Parker’s Spenser books…..it’s about the sharp and witty dialogue that flows so effortlessly. I think I went into these expecting fast-paced thrillers like so many stories from other authors that I read.
Reading Parker’s Spenser books reminds me of floating on a “lazy river” at a water park - not thrilling, but a very comfortable, relaxing, and enjoyable ride.
Reading Parker’s Spenser books reminds me of floating on a “lazy river” at a water park - not thrilling, but a very comfortable, relaxing, and enjoyable ride.
January 25, 2016
I’m a sucker for simple things. While I’ll never deny that a nice passage like “Murky, storm-damp sky, shifting liquescence of indigo & slate, boiling clouds rayed with spokes of light . . . ” or the sweetness of the “heaving gloss of a gardenia bush”* makes my knees weak with literary ebullience, my nougat center will also get a little melty for a taut turn of phrase. If you can use four or five words to make me feel, seamlessly, exactly what you’re talking about, then consider me yours, my friend.
Because Robert Parker has written almost 70 books, because we currently have no less than three different titles under his name on the FT table, it’s been easy for me to dismiss him as a writer over the years. He’s probably not that good, he’s probably just another James Patterson, I thought. No one who publishes that often, especially in spite of the marked handicap of being deceased, could possibly be that good. It’s undoubtedly pretty snobby of me to suspect that proliferation = hack, but here I am. I surmise for better or for worse that anyone who releases a new novel every ten months (or every three months, for pete's sake, Patterson!) is phoning in at least a touch of that process. Comparing Parker to Patterson is of course a fool’s errand since they’re nothing alike, and of course it is I who ultimately turned out to be the fool.
This book, specifically, concerns pornographic movies & baseball & blackmail, but really it’s just about how Spenser is a reluctant badass & how Robert Parker can write his ass off. “I thought ‘roach hole’ was a little unkind, but I thought the gun in Wally’s hand was a little unkind too.”
“Beyond the balcony, the Atlantic, blue and steady and more than my eye could fully register.”
“The room smelled of kerosene and dogs and things I didn’t recognize. The clutter was dense.” See, that right there, that’s brilliant. String a few words together & suddenly I know exactly where he’s standing, I know exactly the kind of sad hovel Parker has put Spenser inside.
The entire section with Maynard & Lester is pure gold. Spenser: “’I would like you to stop blackmailing the Rabbs.’
‘And if ah was blackmailing them, and ah stopped, what would ah get out of that?’
‘Well, I’d be grateful.’”
“'Lester,' I said, 'you can’t handle Doerr. Handling Doerr is different from beating up some tourist in a bar or breaking bricks with your bare hand. Wally Hogg is a professional tough guy. You are an amateur. He would blow you away like a midsummer dandelion.'”
Yes, yes, yes! Is it any wonder that I love a Spenser novel with every inch of my being?
Now, honestly, this is a five star book because it’d be silly to say Yes, yes yes! & then give anything less than that, but believe me when I say that I was almost prepared to shed one whole star because Susan Silverman drives me kind of batty. I can tell that she’s gonna cause me some problems in years to come.
*The Little Friend, Donna Tartt.
Because Robert Parker has written almost 70 books, because we currently have no less than three different titles under his name on the FT table, it’s been easy for me to dismiss him as a writer over the years. He’s probably not that good, he’s probably just another James Patterson, I thought. No one who publishes that often, especially in spite of the marked handicap of being deceased, could possibly be that good. It’s undoubtedly pretty snobby of me to suspect that proliferation = hack, but here I am. I surmise for better or for worse that anyone who releases a new novel every ten months (or every three months, for pete's sake, Patterson!) is phoning in at least a touch of that process. Comparing Parker to Patterson is of course a fool’s errand since they’re nothing alike, and of course it is I who ultimately turned out to be the fool.
This book, specifically, concerns pornographic movies & baseball & blackmail, but really it’s just about how Spenser is a reluctant badass & how Robert Parker can write his ass off. “I thought ‘roach hole’ was a little unkind, but I thought the gun in Wally’s hand was a little unkind too.”
“Beyond the balcony, the Atlantic, blue and steady and more than my eye could fully register.”
“The room smelled of kerosene and dogs and things I didn’t recognize. The clutter was dense.” See, that right there, that’s brilliant. String a few words together & suddenly I know exactly where he’s standing, I know exactly the kind of sad hovel Parker has put Spenser inside.
The entire section with Maynard & Lester is pure gold. Spenser: “’I would like you to stop blackmailing the Rabbs.’
‘And if ah was blackmailing them, and ah stopped, what would ah get out of that?’
‘Well, I’d be grateful.’”
“'Lester,' I said, 'you can’t handle Doerr. Handling Doerr is different from beating up some tourist in a bar or breaking bricks with your bare hand. Wally Hogg is a professional tough guy. You are an amateur. He would blow you away like a midsummer dandelion.'”
Yes, yes, yes! Is it any wonder that I love a Spenser novel with every inch of my being?
Now, honestly, this is a five star book because it’d be silly to say Yes, yes yes! & then give anything less than that, but believe me when I say that I was almost prepared to shed one whole star because Susan Silverman drives me kind of batty. I can tell that she’s gonna cause me some problems in years to come.
*The Little Friend, Donna Tartt.
November 11, 2023
An intriguing mystery. Well written, believable, and sympathetic characters. A tough, witty, smart ass, private eye as the main character. The Spenser books keep improving with each entry.
May 27, 2020
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
After stumbling onto Spenser: For Hire—I think during season 2 summer re-runs, I headed to my local library and grabbed the earliest in the series they had—Mortal Stakes. This wasn't the first "adult" novel or mystery that I'd tried, but it was the best. Between Parker's voice, Spenser's wit, and the kind of story it told, I was sold and spent the next few months getting my hands on every one of the series I could. Re-reading this one is always like coming home.
Spenser is hired by a Boston Red Sox executive to investigate their best pitcher, Marty Rabb. There's a hint of a suggestion of a rumor that he's shaving points on behalf of gamblers, and the executive wants to know if it's true. If so, he wants to address it quitely, If Rabb's clean, he wants to know that quietly.
It takes no time at all for Spenser to determine that he is—and why. The bulk of the novel is Spenser's attempt to learn who is blackmailing Rabb to do this and then to extricate him from their grip before it ruins his career and/or marriage. This is a significant challenge.
Spenser sees a lot of himself in Rabb—they share the same values, sense of honor, sense of play. Spenser will later look into a similar case in Playmates, and he'll meet a similar athlete—only his sport is College Basketball. Parker will often use clients to shine a light on an aspect of Spenser's character, usually by way of contrast—but with athletes, it's because of similarity.
On the expanding Spenser-verse front, we meet New York Madam, Patricia Utley. She's no "hooker with a heart of gold," by any means. She's a businesswoman first and foremost. She does remember where she came from, and can occasionally be counted on to display a bit of sentimentality. She will reappear several times in this series (and will make appearances in related series)—a reliable source of information as well as a resource.
In The Godwulf Manuscript we saw Spenser physically rough up a couple of college kids and verbally push around an older man. Each incident is followed by Spenser berating himself. In a fit of pique following a botched stakeout for the ransom delivery in God Save the Child, Spenser breaks the handle of the rake he was using as a prop and feels so bad that he leaves money to pay for it. Parker goes out of his way to show Spenser's conscience. Yet in this book, Spenser arranges to outright kill two people. Yes, he's wracked with guilt—physically ill—but he's able to justify it to himself. Which mostly works, but he has to go to Susan Silverman to talk things out and convince himself he did the right thing.
This book shows that Spenser is changing. He doesn't like being alone—he needs to talk some of the difficult things through with Susan. He's had a couple of dates with Brenda Loring earlier in the book—but he notes she's good for having fun with, but for serious talk, it has to be Susan. I appreciate the slow growth in the character here.
This isn't the best Spenser volume—but it's a very good one. This is the first (of many) extended look at Spenser's code. We see Spenser wade in deep ethical waters (and doesn't necessarily come out clean). But most importantly, we see Spenser doing all he can—whether his employer wants him to or not—to dig a couple of people out form a tight spot. Mortal Stakes is Parker at his best and is just a pleasure to read.
---
After stumbling onto Spenser: For Hire—I think during season 2 summer re-runs, I headed to my local library and grabbed the earliest in the series they had—Mortal Stakes. This wasn't the first "adult" novel or mystery that I'd tried, but it was the best. Between Parker's voice, Spenser's wit, and the kind of story it told, I was sold and spent the next few months getting my hands on every one of the series I could. Re-reading this one is always like coming home.
Spenser is hired by a Boston Red Sox executive to investigate their best pitcher, Marty Rabb. There's a hint of a suggestion of a rumor that he's shaving points on behalf of gamblers, and the executive wants to know if it's true. If so, he wants to address it quitely, If Rabb's clean, he wants to know that quietly.
It takes no time at all for Spenser to determine that he is—and why. The bulk of the novel is Spenser's attempt to learn who is blackmailing Rabb to do this and then to extricate him from their grip before it ruins his career and/or marriage. This is a significant challenge.
Spenser sees a lot of himself in Rabb—they share the same values, sense of honor, sense of play. Spenser will later look into a similar case in Playmates, and he'll meet a similar athlete—only his sport is College Basketball. Parker will often use clients to shine a light on an aspect of Spenser's character, usually by way of contrast—but with athletes, it's because of similarity.
On the expanding Spenser-verse front, we meet New York Madam, Patricia Utley. She's no "hooker with a heart of gold," by any means. She's a businesswoman first and foremost. She does remember where she came from, and can occasionally be counted on to display a bit of sentimentality. She will reappear several times in this series (and will make appearances in related series)—a reliable source of information as well as a resource.
In The Godwulf Manuscript we saw Spenser physically rough up a couple of college kids and verbally push around an older man. Each incident is followed by Spenser berating himself. In a fit of pique following a botched stakeout for the ransom delivery in God Save the Child, Spenser breaks the handle of the rake he was using as a prop and feels so bad that he leaves money to pay for it. Parker goes out of his way to show Spenser's conscience. Yet in this book, Spenser arranges to outright kill two people. Yes, he's wracked with guilt—physically ill—but he's able to justify it to himself. Which mostly works, but he has to go to Susan Silverman to talk things out and convince himself he did the right thing.
This book shows that Spenser is changing. He doesn't like being alone—he needs to talk some of the difficult things through with Susan. He's had a couple of dates with Brenda Loring earlier in the book—but he notes she's good for having fun with, but for serious talk, it has to be Susan. I appreciate the slow growth in the character here.
This isn't the best Spenser volume—but it's a very good one. This is the first (of many) extended look at Spenser's code. We see Spenser wade in deep ethical waters (and doesn't necessarily come out clean). But most importantly, we see Spenser doing all he can—whether his employer wants him to or not—to dig a couple of people out form a tight spot. Mortal Stakes is Parker at his best and is just a pleasure to read.
September 15, 2011
Spencer and baseball, one of his first loves. I always enjoy early Spencer, with it's rich description and fleshed out mystery. Nothing says period piece quite like "paisley jacket." He goes undercover at the Boston Red Sox, travels to a small town in Illinois, then on to New York in his background investigation. I enjoyed his sense of humor that no one else appreciates, and all the details that get pared down in later books. It's a sticky mystery with a mix of real-world not-quite perfect and emotionally satisfying revenge resolutions. Notable for minimal inclusion of Susan, and daliance with another beauty who utterly fails to fall for his wit.
December 18, 2022
A pitcher may be losing games on purpose to help a gambler and Spenser is brought in to very quietly learn if it is true. It’s one of those tasks where you wonder how on earth he’s going to do that. In the course of his early investigation, he gets told a very simple lie and uses that lie to uncover the sad and scandalous past of the pitcher’s wife. That discovery takes up half the novel and shows Spenser why the pitcher is doing what he’s doing—he’s being blackmailed—and now Spenser has to go to work to get a couple of very nasty people to leave the pitcher alone.
This is a good story without any simple solutions. Blackmail works because the victim can’t afford for the information the criminal has to become public. This puts Spenser in a very difficult ethical position as the only solutions he (and I) could think of are definitely on the wrong side of the law.
This is a good story without any simple solutions. Blackmail works because the victim can’t afford for the information the criminal has to become public. This puts Spenser in a very difficult ethical position as the only solutions he (and I) could think of are definitely on the wrong side of the law.
March 23, 2009
Only where love and need are one,
And the work is play for mortal stakes,
Is the deed ever really done
For Heaven and the future’sakes.
--Robert Frost
That’s the frontispiece for Robert B. Parker’s Mortal Stakes, an early entry in the famed Spenser series that I hadn’t read until this week. From the moment I opened the cover and read that verse from Robert Frost, I was hooked. Then, as I read this investigation of possible blackmail and game fixing surrounding a Boston Red Sox player (albeit a fictional player), I was drawn into a fascinating story that simply didn’t play out according to my expectations. Further, I wasn’t expecting a discussion of ethics as the mystery played out. So, I rate this above other Spenser books that I’ve read.
Spenser is always a cathartic release for me because he’s tough (where I’m not), he ingests and imbibes prodigiously (where I can’t), he’s disciplined enough to work out regularly (where I don’t), he handles a gun with tremendous proficiency (does using a muzzle-loader that has a ball that bounces off aluminum cans, count?), and has sparkling dialogue no matter what the situation (and I wish I did). In short, I like being able to crawl into his skin at little or no risk. And, when he’s hanging around the world of baseball, I like it even more.
Unlike most mysteries, Mortal Stakes doesn’t involve murder. The mystery is more subtle than that. And, even though the person behind the situation (let’s just say that Pete Rose would understand the plot) seemed to be tipped off relatively early, the resolution of the situation wasn’t exactly what I wanted or Spenser expected. To me, that makes a mystery well worth reading. And, if I happen to end up ruminating about my one and only experience of watching a game in Fenway Park and feel like I’ve walked across the same plaza in Boston more than once (Copley Plaza, in front of Trinity Church) where Spenser takes one of his walks, that’s all the better.
I started reading books later in the Spenser series and recently had a treasure-trove of early Spenser paperbacks put into my hands. I find myself liking the character better all the time. And when I read this book, I knew why the series became so successful.
And the work is play for mortal stakes,
Is the deed ever really done
For Heaven and the future’sakes.
--Robert Frost
That’s the frontispiece for Robert B. Parker’s Mortal Stakes, an early entry in the famed Spenser series that I hadn’t read until this week. From the moment I opened the cover and read that verse from Robert Frost, I was hooked. Then, as I read this investigation of possible blackmail and game fixing surrounding a Boston Red Sox player (albeit a fictional player), I was drawn into a fascinating story that simply didn’t play out according to my expectations. Further, I wasn’t expecting a discussion of ethics as the mystery played out. So, I rate this above other Spenser books that I’ve read.
Spenser is always a cathartic release for me because he’s tough (where I’m not), he ingests and imbibes prodigiously (where I can’t), he’s disciplined enough to work out regularly (where I don’t), he handles a gun with tremendous proficiency (does using a muzzle-loader that has a ball that bounces off aluminum cans, count?), and has sparkling dialogue no matter what the situation (and I wish I did). In short, I like being able to crawl into his skin at little or no risk. And, when he’s hanging around the world of baseball, I like it even more.
Unlike most mysteries, Mortal Stakes doesn’t involve murder. The mystery is more subtle than that. And, even though the person behind the situation (let’s just say that Pete Rose would understand the plot) seemed to be tipped off relatively early, the resolution of the situation wasn’t exactly what I wanted or Spenser expected. To me, that makes a mystery well worth reading. And, if I happen to end up ruminating about my one and only experience of watching a game in Fenway Park and feel like I’ve walked across the same plaza in Boston more than once (Copley Plaza, in front of Trinity Church) where Spenser takes one of his walks, that’s all the better.
I started reading books later in the Spenser series and recently had a treasure-trove of early Spenser paperbacks put into my hands. I find myself liking the character better all the time. And when I read this book, I knew why the series became so successful.
May 23, 2017
(The word "maroon" appears 7 times in this novel)
Best of the series so far... And don't worry, the baseball overload only lasts a chapter or two.
What we do have is a broadening and deepening of Spenser as man and hero. In this book, more than previously, much is developed of The Code that all true heroes need. Parker handles this well, and the ending of the book has a truth and personal honesty that I loved.
As always, the dialogue is razor sharp, and finely balanced between wit and anger.
As another reviewer said, there are four strong women in this book, and this reflects very well on Parker. Those 1970s days of honest feminism affected me deeply, woke up a hero in me that I have kept alive all these years. I am truly pleased to see Parker's loving and mature Susan, a thoughtful and honest partner to Spenser, well deserved by him and by us.
Best of the series so far... And don't worry, the baseball overload only lasts a chapter or two.
What we do have is a broadening and deepening of Spenser as man and hero. In this book, more than previously, much is developed of The Code that all true heroes need. Parker handles this well, and the ending of the book has a truth and personal honesty that I loved.
As always, the dialogue is razor sharp, and finely balanced between wit and anger.
As another reviewer said, there are four strong women in this book, and this reflects very well on Parker. Those 1970s days of honest feminism affected me deeply, woke up a hero in me that I have kept alive all these years. I am truly pleased to see Parker's loving and mature Susan, a thoughtful and honest partner to Spenser, well deserved by him and by us.
November 21, 2016
Boston, the Red Sox, codes of honor and a couple of terrifying confrontations. Great stuff. I can't possibly top Bill Kerwin's review so here's a link.
June 2, 2021
I am starting to become really attached to Spencer. He really cares about people and this is really demonstrated in this book with his handling of a very delicate situation. There is also a violent altercation towards the end of the book and Spencers struggle to deal with it show not only the depth of the character but also the writing.
Parker is a master of description and sometimes that can become a little overwhelming, but at the same time you get a really good sense of time and place.
Michael Prichard narrates these novels and he does an amazing job.
Parker is a master of description and sometimes that can become a little overwhelming, but at the same time you get a really good sense of time and place.
Michael Prichard narrates these novels and he does an amazing job.
July 12, 2021
Very good. Love the style, pace and writing. Will be reading more by this author😊
March 31, 2020
The first two thirds of this book stumble but the last third is pure Spenser and works hard. Excellent conclusion.
May 15, 2017
Best of the series so far... And don't worry, the baseball overload only lasts a chapter or two.
What we do have is a broadening and deepening of Spenser as man and hero. In this book, more than previously, much is developed of The Code that all true heroes need. Parker handles this well, and the ending of the book has a truth and personal honesty that I loved.
As always, the dialogue is razor sharp, and finely balanced between wit and anger.
As another reviewer said, there are four strong women in this book, and this reflects very well on Parker. Those 1970s days of honest feminism affected me deeply, woke up a hero in me that I have kept alive all these years. I am truly pleased to see Parker's loving and mature Susan, a thoughtful and honest partner to Spenser, well deserved by him and by us.
See my review of Crimson Joy for more Spenser Series opinion...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Notes -
11.0% ... baseball oversaturated already.
15.0% ..... 3rd book already and only the first mention of my alma mater. ...
"Across the river MIT loomed like a concrete temple to the Great God Brown."
50.0% ... nice quote:
“You spend too much time reading, Spenser. You know more stuff that don’t make you money than anybody I know.”
55.0% ... so clearly now for Spenser, we see The Code:
I should be gone. I should be in Harold Erskine’s office, laying it all out for him and getting a bonus ... But I knew I wasn’t going to be gone. I knew that I was here, and I probably knew it back in Redford, Illinois, when I went to her house and met her mom and dad.
“I’m going to get you out of this,” I said."
62.0% .... such sharp dialogue, last phrase ....
“Wally Hogg,” Quirk said, “will kill anyone Doerr tells him to. He doesn’t like it or not like it. Slow or fast, one or a hundred, whatever. Doerr points him and he goes bang. He’s a piece with feet.”
65.0% ... Have you ever noticed how many ticky left eyelids there are in Parker's books? °͜° ...
"there was a very small tic in his left eyelid." - him and at least 4 others per book....
77.0% ..... a key moment in Spenser's life ....
"Brenda Loring? No. I wanted to talk about things I had trouble talking about. Brenda was for fun and wisecracks and she did a terrific picnic, but she wasn’t much better than I was at talking about hard things."
What we do have is a broadening and deepening of Spenser as man and hero. In this book, more than previously, much is developed of The Code that all true heroes need. Parker handles this well, and the ending of the book has a truth and personal honesty that I loved.
As always, the dialogue is razor sharp, and finely balanced between wit and anger.
As another reviewer said, there are four strong women in this book, and this reflects very well on Parker. Those 1970s days of honest feminism affected me deeply, woke up a hero in me that I have kept alive all these years. I am truly pleased to see Parker's loving and mature Susan, a thoughtful and honest partner to Spenser, well deserved by him and by us.
See my review of Crimson Joy for more Spenser Series opinion...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Notes -
11.0% ... baseball oversaturated already.
15.0% ..... 3rd book already and only the first mention of my alma mater. ...
"Across the river MIT loomed like a concrete temple to the Great God Brown."
50.0% ... nice quote:
“You spend too much time reading, Spenser. You know more stuff that don’t make you money than anybody I know.”
55.0% ... so clearly now for Spenser, we see The Code:
I should be gone. I should be in Harold Erskine’s office, laying it all out for him and getting a bonus ... But I knew I wasn’t going to be gone. I knew that I was here, and I probably knew it back in Redford, Illinois, when I went to her house and met her mom and dad.
“I’m going to get you out of this,” I said."
62.0% .... such sharp dialogue, last phrase ....
“Wally Hogg,” Quirk said, “will kill anyone Doerr tells him to. He doesn’t like it or not like it. Slow or fast, one or a hundred, whatever. Doerr points him and he goes bang. He’s a piece with feet.”
65.0% ... Have you ever noticed how many ticky left eyelids there are in Parker's books? °͜° ...
"there was a very small tic in his left eyelid." - him and at least 4 others per book....
77.0% ..... a key moment in Spenser's life ....
"Brenda Loring? No. I wanted to talk about things I had trouble talking about. Brenda was for fun and wisecracks and she did a terrific picnic, but she wasn’t much better than I was at talking about hard things."
July 17, 2023
The third Spenser centers on the shakedown of baseball's best pitcher. The club in question (the Red Sox) hires Spenser to find out whether the pitcher is shaving games. Spenser, ever the Galahad, seeks to free the pitcher and his wife from the bums who are shaking them down, two of whom are quite dangerous. How Spenser goes about his task leads to the clearest exposition of his code of honor (chapter 29), as explained to Susan Silverman for the first time.
NOTE: After the code has been explained time and again, especially in the later books in the series, it gets old, but it's significant at this stage of the series, especially since Spenser violates it in cold blood. Also of interest, at the beginning of this book Spenser is seeing both Brenda Loring and Susan, and chooses Susan over Brenda because he can talk to her about such weighty stuff, whereas Brenda not so much. It's an interesting enough transition, though I came to miss Brenda later in the series. As a bonus, Martin Quirk more or less states his position about Spenser clearly in this book. Hawk isn't a fixture yet. Spenser is pretty physical early in the series, as though not quite under self-control.
NOTE: After the code has been explained time and again, especially in the later books in the series, it gets old, but it's significant at this stage of the series, especially since Spenser violates it in cold blood. Also of interest, at the beginning of this book Spenser is seeing both Brenda Loring and Susan, and chooses Susan over Brenda because he can talk to her about such weighty stuff, whereas Brenda not so much. It's an interesting enough transition, though I came to miss Brenda later in the series. As a bonus, Martin Quirk more or less states his position about Spenser clearly in this book. Hawk isn't a fixture yet. Spenser is pretty physical early in the series, as though not quite under self-control.
September 14, 2016
Book #3 of Robert B. Parker's Spenser series. I haven't read #2 yet and I hate reading them out of order but the only thing I think I missed from #2 was the introduction to Susan Silverman who Spenser spends some time with, along with Brenda Loring who he met in the first book.
In this novel Spenser is hired by the Boston Red Sox to investigate as to whether or not their star pitcher, Marty Rabb, is throwing games. I am a big baseball fan so this added to my enjoyment. The book was written in 1975 when the Red Sox lost the World Series to the Reds. This didn't factor into the story at all.
So you have baseball, bribes, an ego maniac announcer, prostitution and the mob involved. You also get your standard smart ass commentary from Spenser as he takes you through his investigation. Quick fun read.
In this novel Spenser is hired by the Boston Red Sox to investigate as to whether or not their star pitcher, Marty Rabb, is throwing games. I am a big baseball fan so this added to my enjoyment. The book was written in 1975 when the Red Sox lost the World Series to the Reds. This didn't factor into the story at all.
So you have baseball, bribes, an ego maniac announcer, prostitution and the mob involved. You also get your standard smart ass commentary from Spenser as he takes you through his investigation. Quick fun read.
March 10, 2025
Another great effort, same funny stuff and it is tied around baseball. Plus the plot had the right number of layers, not too many twists but not too simplistic either.
August 14, 2019
Spenser never gets old.
July 24, 2021
"'You gonna cry again, Frankie? What is it? Did your Momma toilet-train you funny? Is that why you're such a goddamned freak-o?'"
When I read dialogue like this, the images of Humphrey Bogart taunting Edward G. Robinson in a 1940s black-and-white movie come to mind. But the words come from a 1975 Spenser story by Robert B. Parker, Mortal Stakes, so the author seems to be back to parodying the dated hard-boiled genre. Luckily, the dated feeling is not as strong as in The Godwulf Manuscript , so hopefully Mr. Parker is on his way to outgrow the pastiche mode, as I keep reading Spenser mysteries in chronological order.
A baseball manager hires Spenser to check whether the best pitcher in their organization has gambling connections:
Making numerous phone calls and using help from his police contacts, Spenser quickly manages to get to the bottom of the case. The plot is implausible, particularly as to how easily Spenser gets all the needed information. But who cares about the plot if we can enjoy wise-cracking hard-boiled detective in his full glory. Oh, and the romantic Spenser! Both Brenda Loring and Susan Silverman return in this novel. Which one will Spenser choose? Stay tuned.
I am usually able to find a nice fragment of prose, even in weaker Spenser novels. No such luck here.
One-and-three-quarter stars.
When I read dialogue like this, the images of Humphrey Bogart taunting Edward G. Robinson in a 1940s black-and-white movie come to mind. But the words come from a 1975 Spenser story by Robert B. Parker, Mortal Stakes, so the author seems to be back to parodying the dated hard-boiled genre. Luckily, the dated feeling is not as strong as in The Godwulf Manuscript , so hopefully Mr. Parker is on his way to outgrow the pastiche mode, as I keep reading Spenser mysteries in chronological order.
A baseball manager hires Spenser to check whether the best pitcher in their organization has gambling connections:
"'[...] I heard something peculiar about him. The odds seem to shift a little when he pitches. I mean, there is some funny money placed when he's scheduled to go.'"Spenser begins his investigation, meets with the pitcher and his wife, and realizes that something that the wife has said bothers him. Then, a couple of low-life hoods visit Spenser: they tell him, "you're only a goddamned egg-sucking snoop, a nickel-and-dime cheapie," and suggest that he should cease the investigation.
Making numerous phone calls and using help from his police contacts, Spenser quickly manages to get to the bottom of the case. The plot is implausible, particularly as to how easily Spenser gets all the needed information. But who cares about the plot if we can enjoy wise-cracking hard-boiled detective in his full glory. Oh, and the romantic Spenser! Both Brenda Loring and Susan Silverman return in this novel. Which one will Spenser choose? Stay tuned.
I am usually able to find a nice fragment of prose, even in weaker Spenser novels. No such luck here.
One-and-three-quarter stars.
March 28, 2024
The plot on this one is better than the 1st two books in this series. I’m getting a feel for who Spenser really is. A snarky and relationship averse guy who can really cook and drink. 🥃🥃
Is he with Susan? Is he with Brenda? Who knows. This one finds him in the mob crosshairs again. A bookie/loan shark this time. His client is wanting to know if a baseball pitcher is throwing his games.
This takes him down a twisty path and he does find out more than he ever wants to know about this pitcher’s personal life. Spenser handled the problem as only he can do. Does it end 100% happy? Not really but Spenser lives in the gray zone so it fits with the way the rest of the books have ended so far.
I’m taking a pause but will come back to Spenser after a brief break.
Is he with Susan? Is he with Brenda? Who knows. This one finds him in the mob crosshairs again. A bookie/loan shark this time. His client is wanting to know if a baseball pitcher is throwing his games.
This takes him down a twisty path and he does find out more than he ever wants to know about this pitcher’s personal life. Spenser handled the problem as only he can do. Does it end 100% happy? Not really but Spenser lives in the gray zone so it fits with the way the rest of the books have ended so far.
I’m taking a pause but will come back to Spenser after a brief break.
March 14, 2022
An early Spenser novel that’s well worth the read. Marty Rabb, pitcher for the Red Sox, and his wife become victims of a blackmailing scheme that Spencer sniffs out and inserts himself into in order to free the Rabbs from victimization.
Parker’s writing in this early series novel is crisp and enjoyable. One can see how Parker has begun to develop Spencer more fully, while preserving his underlying sensitivity and moral compass. The wisecracking Spencer is on display though not with as much sarcasm and irreverence as in later novels.
Even the dreaded Susan Silverman is more palatable in this early version, but we all know what the future holds in that regard. I kept hoping that Spencer would somehow steer more towards some of the other female companions in his world but alas, it will not be. Oh well, can’t have everything.
A solidly entertaining book.
Parker’s writing in this early series novel is crisp and enjoyable. One can see how Parker has begun to develop Spencer more fully, while preserving his underlying sensitivity and moral compass. The wisecracking Spencer is on display though not with as much sarcasm and irreverence as in later novels.
Even the dreaded Susan Silverman is more palatable in this early version, but we all know what the future holds in that regard. I kept hoping that Spencer would somehow steer more towards some of the other female companions in his world but alas, it will not be. Oh well, can’t have everything.
A solidly entertaining book.
May 11, 2025
Spenser is hired by a Boston Red Sox executive to investigate rumors that star pitcher Marty Rabb is throwing games. If guilty, Rabb would face permanent exile from baseball. Spenser, posing as a writer, forms a bond with Rabb and his wife, Linda, but uncovers a secret that makes Rabb a blackmail target.
Faced with a moral dilemma, Spenser must choose between reporting Rabb and ending his career or helping them, despite the potential consequences. This conflict with a dangerous loan shark forces Spenser to act against his usual principles.
Parker explores Spenser's ethical struggles in a world of sports that feels quaint compared to today. Meanwhile, Spenser's relationship with Susan deepens, marking her as the key woman in his life moving forward.
Faced with a moral dilemma, Spenser must choose between reporting Rabb and ending his career or helping them, despite the potential consequences. This conflict with a dangerous loan shark forces Spenser to act against his usual principles.
Parker explores Spenser's ethical struggles in a world of sports that feels quaint compared to today. Meanwhile, Spenser's relationship with Susan deepens, marking her as the key woman in his life moving forward.
August 28, 2025
The series is getting better. Spenser needs a dog and a partner. A girlfriend won’t hurt and it is getting promising with Susan Silverman. The story was pretty good, more interesting than the previous books. I started this series in the middle or toward the end so I didn’t realize how much character development had taken place.
September 12, 2019
Baseball is the one sport I dig, otherwise I’d probably have been bored by the initial setup. That said, Spenser’s unrelenting smartassery and the increasing tension leads to the most intense Spenser climax yet. That shit immediately turned amused tolerance into grim blood-pressure-rising captivation, which we all know I hedonistically live for.
July 3, 2019
It looks like these Spencer books are pretty solid too. A baseball mystery, perfect read just before The Fourth. Excellent story, good villains and not quite a happy ending. Parker did a great job.
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